Button-sewing machine



Nov. 9 1926;

H. W. MORRIS BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed June '7. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 9, 1926. 1,606,173

H. W. MORRIS BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed June '7. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 9 1926.

H. W. MORRIS BUTTON SEWINGMACHINE Filed June 7. 1923' s Sheets-Sheet 5 w QM kw Nav. 9 1926.

H. W. MORRIS BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed June '7. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 all M Patented Nov. 9, 1926.

HAROLD W. MORRIS, OI WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ,I?RLEDIIZ'JBJIGK OSANN COMPANY. OF NEW YORK, N. Y., CORPORATION OF NEW ,YORK.

nor'ron-snwmo MACHINE. 1

Application filed June 7,

This invention relates to machines for sewing on buttons. One feature relates to a button clamp so constructed as to permit the clamping pressure on the button to be adjusted.

A further feature relates to the mounting of the needle bar and mechanism for actuating it to cause stitches to be assed through each of a pair of holes in the utton and into the work.

Still another feature relates-to a needle guide movable to a position to properly guide the needle to the looper mechanism and then to retract to provide a large free opening for the passage of the needle and the thread 100 carried thereby.

A further eature relates to a safety device for preventing improper relative actuation of the machine starting mechanism and the button clamp raising mechanism.

For a more complete understanding of this invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying this invention, the side cover plate being removed.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the needle bar and casing.

Figure 3 is a sect-ion on line 33 of Figure 1. I

Figure 4 is an inverted plan of the machine head.

Figure 5 is a detail section on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an inverted plan of the loop deflector mechanism.

Figure 7 is a detail section on line 77 of Figure 5.

Figures 8 and 9 are sections on line 88 and 99, respectively, of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a plan partly broken away of the button clamp.

Figure 11 is an inverted plan partlyin section of the same.

Figure 12 is a front elevation of the same.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary plan of the work plate showing the needle guide in retracfed position in full lines and in operative position in dotted lines.

Figure 14 is a detail perspective of the needle guide.

Figure 15 is a view illustrating an interconnection between the machine starting mechanism and the button clamp raising mechanism.

1923. Serial No. 643,887.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, at 1 is indicated a substantially rectangular hollow supporting frame to which s hinged the machine head 2. This head 1s formed with a forwardly extending table portion 3 on which the work is supported, as Wlll later appear, and extending upwardly from the rear of the portion 2 is a hollow post 4 having a forwardly extending arm 5 (fort 1slup ortmg the needle uide bar housing 1s table portion 3 in the usual manner.

The button to be sewed on the workk 'i car-- ried by a button clamp indicated at 7;. which as shown more particularly in Figures 10, 11 and 12, is provided with arms l0 pivoted at 11 to a supporting plate 12,..thesearms having button-en aging elements 15 having relatively inclined button engaging faces at their adjacent ends. Cpoperating with these faces is a face 16 of a third button clampelement 17 carried by a slide 18 which has a portion 19 en aging within a slot 20 in the plate 12 Fetween the elements 10. This element 17 is. normally urged toward the elements 15 by means of a spring 21 surrounding a rod 22 projecting rearwardly from the portion 19, this spring and the end of the rod being housed within a sleeve 25, projecting'rean wardly from an endplate 26 bolted to the rear end of the plate 12. The tensionof this spring may be adjusted, and for this purpose a screw 30 having a knurled head 31 1s threaded in the outer end of the-sleeve 25, and preferably carries a check nut 32 by which it may be fixed in adjusted position. Simultaneously with the movement of the element 17 toward the button the elements 15 ofthe arms 10 are brought toward each ousing being positioned above the other. To this end the slide 18 is provided,- with a pair of relatively inclined slots-335 in which ridepins or screws 36 made fast-iqto the arms 10. The portions 15 and 16 may be retracted to permit the insertion of a button therebetween by means, which as shown, comprise a screw 40 slidable in a slot41 in the plate 12 and threaded in the slide 18, this screw having a head 42 overlying the plate 12 and adapted to be engaged by the intermediate portion .43 of a nger lever 44 pivoted on a screw 45 to the plate 12. This finger lever has a downturned finger piece 46 which may be pressed rearwardly by the operator so as to retract the screw 40, thus retracting the slide 18 which carries backthe element 17 and separates the button-engaging faces of the clamping elements 10. The limit of closing motion of these elements may be determined by means of an adjustable stop screw 48 threaded through a portion 49 of the lever 44 extending on the opposite side of thepivot 45 from the finger piece 46, this screw engaging a curved face 50 on one edge of the plate 12. By this means it is seen that the pressure of the clamping elements against the button may be adjusted as desired so that they more readily suit conditions arising from the use of different sizes and styles of buttons.

The button clamp is designed to support the button and hold it against the upper face of the work which is carried by a cloth plate 60. This cloth plate may, if desired, be slidable lengthwise and be moved automatically, as well understood in the art, to present different portions of the work in position to receive the stitches, and if desired, by causing the button clamp to move therewith, to present different pairs of holes in the button successively to the sewing instrumentalities. This mechanism forms no part of the present invention, however, and hence is not shown at length, it being sufficient to state that the button clamp is fixed to an arm 131, the rear end of which is pivoted, as at 141, on a horizontal axis, either to a fixed part of the machine, or movable with the cloth plate so that the button clamp may rest on the work or may be raised therefrom. As shown the button clamp is fixed adjustably to the arm 131 by screws 133 engaging slots 134 in the arm 131 and threaded in the plate 12. These screws 133 also serve to attach to the button clamp a plate 135 having at one end an upwardly extending car 136 to which a chain 137 may be attached by which the button clamp may be raised from the cloth plate. The button clamp is normally urged downwardly toward the -cloth plate in order to clamp work against the clot-h plate as by means of a leaf spring 138 fixed at its rear downwardly turned end 139 to the forward portion of the frame post 4, its forwardend engaging the upper face of the plate 135. The upper end of the chain 137 is connected to a screw 146 fixed to the end of an arm 147 made fast to a rock shaft 148. This rock shaft is journaled in bearings 149 and 150 depending from the upper wall of the frame arm 5, and is normally held in position to permit the button clamp to rest on the work. For this purpose a spring 151 coiled about the rock shaft has one end engaged with the bearing 149 and the other fixed to a collar 152 made fast to the shaft 148. Adjacent the collar 152 is also fixed another collar 153 to which is attached one end of a coil spring 154 sur rounding the shaft, its other end being fixed to a collar 155 to which is attached a finger 156 projecting through the upper wall of the frame arm 5, and which is rocked b the turning of the rock shaft to pull off tiread from the supply between the needle bar and an automatic thread lock shown at 157. A similar finger 158 is fixed to the rock shaft 148 and acts to pull off th'ethread between the thread lock 157 and the fixed and variable thread tension mechanisms 159 and 160. At 161 is shown an arm clamped to the rock shaft 148, this arm extending through the side wall adjacent the upper end' of the frame portion 4, and to its outer end is pivoted a rod 163, which projects through the portion 2 and has fixed at its lower end a chain 164 extending to a treadle 165 (see Figure 15). By-depressing this treadle the shaft 148 may be rocked to raise the arm 147, which, through the chain 137, raises the'button clamp from the cloth plate.

Referring to Figures 2, 3 and 8, it will be seen that the needle bar housing 6 comprises a rear vertically extending plate to the forward face of which is pivoted, on a horizontal pivot bolt 171, a short sleeve 172 through which slidably passes a needle bar 173, the needle bar being partially enclosed by a casing plate 174 screwed to the plate- 170 by screws 175 (see Figure 2). At the lower end of the needle bar is fixed a needle 179 having an eye 180 adjacent its point. The needle bar is reciprocated axially to give the sewing and retracting strokes to the needle'by a rock shaft journaled at its rear end in the bearing 150 and at its forward end in a boss 186 projecting inwardly from one face of the frame arm 5. The forward end of this shaft carries a crank arm 187 to the free end of which is pivoted a link 188, the upper end of which is adjustably pivoted by a clamp collar 189 to the needle bar 173, this clamp collar also carrying the movable take-up member 176 Which projects through a slot 177 in the plate 174. A fixed take-up element 178 is shown as made fast to the forward face of this plate. The shaft 185 is rocked by means of a crank arm 190 carried at its rear end back of the bearing 150, and to which is pivoted a connecting rod 191, the lower end of which is formed as a strap 192 for an eccentric 193 fixed to the main operating shaft 82. Beside the sewing and retracting strokes for the needle bar it is given a lateral motion to pass through each of a pair of holes in the button held by the buttonclamp, and for this purpose it is designed to be rocked about the pivot 171. The needle bar passes through a sleeve 195 having a rearwardly extending pivot pin 196 journaled in the forward end of a lever arm 197. This arm 197 is provided witha slot 198 adjacent its forward end (see Figure 3) through which sliding bearing for this portion of the arm.-

This arm is pivoted on a pivot pin 201 (see Figures 1, 3 and 8) which has journaled thereon a collar or bushing 202 slidable in a slot 203 in the arm. The lower end of this pivot is reduced in diameter and threaded and engages a mating threaded openingin a supporting block or bearing 204 which is slidable along the upper edge of a rib 205 projecting upwardly from the lower wall of the frame arm 5. This block 204 is adjustable longitudinally of the rib 205, and for this urpose is provided with an upstanding ange 206 a ong one side thereof into which is threaded a stud 207. This stud extends through a slot 208 (see Figure 1) in the side wall of the frame portion 5 and has threaded on its outer end a thumb nut 209 by which the position of the block 204 may be fixed. By sliding the block 204 the position of the fulcrum for the lever 197 may be adjusted as desired, by which means the lateral throw of the needle bar may be adjusted to correspond with the spacing of the holes in the button to be sewed. The arm 197 is rocked by a cam 220 fixed to the upper end of a shaft 76. As shown this is an adjustable cam having a movable section or slide 350 having a pair of cam paths of different shape which may be brought into use selectively and be associated with mechanism to cause the positioning of this slide to determine the number of stitches to be made for attaching each button, as more particularly disclosed and claimed in the application for patent of Raymond L. Plumley, Serial No. 655,279, filed August 2, 1923, for button sewing machines. For the purpose of the present invention, however,the cam may be of any suitable form effective to cause lateral motion of the needle bar between successive stitching strokes so that the needle may pass through each of a pair of holes in the button arranged laterally of the machine. The shaft 76, as shown in Figure 4, has fixed thereto a worm gear 80 which meshes with a worm 81 on a horizontal main drive shaft 82 journaled in the head 2 of the machine and extending rearwardly therefrom where it is provided with a starting and stopping mechanism of any Suitable type.

Positioned within the table portion 3 is the mechanism for taking the loops of thread from the needle and so relating them as to form stitches, this mechanism comprising the usual looper 230 (see Figures 4 and 5) and Ya loop deflector finger 231. The looper 230 is fixed to the forward end of a rotary shaft 232 journaled at its forward end in a cross frame member 233 in the frame portion 3 and at its rear end in a boss 234 extending inwardly therefrom. At its rear end the shaft 232 has fixed thereto a gear 235 meshing with a similar gear 236 fixed to the forward end of the shaft 82. By this means the looper 230 is caused to rotate in proper timed relation to the strokes of the needle so that its hook 237 passes between'the thread and the needle and takes the loop, which is held on the main portion of the looper until after the succeeding needle stroke, at which time a new loop is taken by the hook and the former loop escapes over the looper end and over the thread of the new loop, this being in the usual manner.

It will be noted that the needle inclines outwardly from a point midway between the pair of holes in the button through which the stitches are being passed, being swung alternately in opposite directions as it moves from one hole to the other. The first stitches passed through the holes in the button pull toward the center of the button, and this inclination of the needle causes it' to engage on its inner portion a ainst the button or the stitches already laid in such a manner that the needle is guided toward the outer portions'of the holes in the button which are unoccupied by stitches, thus minimizing any tendency of the needle to pierce stitches already made and so weaken or break the thread. y

The pivotal point for such lateral movement of the needle is, however, situated at such a substantial distance from the button that the inclination of the needle is so'small that the looper may properly cooperate with the needle in both of its lateral positions. The departure from parallelism of the needle in these two portions is thus so small that the sewing strokes may be regarded as substantially parallel. This considerable distance of the pivotal point from the button also gives 1 a certain flexibility to the needle action, so that close adjustment of its amplitude of lateral motion to the spacing of the holes in the button is not required. Thus buttons having the spacing of their sewing holes dif- 11 fering by considerable amounts may be successfully sewed without change in adjustment of the needle motion. It is also found that this mounting of the needle bar materially reduces needle breakage.

In order that each loop may be moved out of the way for a succeeding stroke of the needle the loop deflector finger 231 is emplo ed. This finger, as shown in Figures 5 an 6, is pivoted at 240 to a laterally ex- 120 tending ear 239 carried by a slide 241 movable on the under face of the plate 62 which forms a substantial continuation of the throat plate 61 beneath the cloth plate 60. This plate 62 has an elongated recess 239' to 125 receive the car 239. The slide 241 is held in position in its guideway by means of cross bridging members 242 and 243, the intermediate portions of the member 242 being spaced fromthe lower face of the plate 61 130 longitudinal sliding motion of the slide 241,

sufficiently to permit the end of the deflector finger 231 to project therebetween. The slide 241 has fixed thereto a stop pin244 into engagement with which the fin or 231 is normally held by means of a spring 245 engaging at one endin an opening in an car 246 extending downwardly from one edge of the finger and at its other end fixed to a pm 247 carried by the bridge member 243. The stop pin 244 also acts as a cam follower to cause the .cam for actuating this follower being carried by the looper shaft 232, as shown at 248 in Figures 4 and 5. Not only does the spring 245 act to urge the deflector finger into contact with the pin 244, but it also acts to urge the slide 241 to its retracted position as shown in Figure 6. Lateral movement of the finger 231 about its pivot 240 is efiected by means of a cam followerpost 250 which extends downwardly from the under face of the finger and is acted upon by a cam face 251 formed on a portion of the cam 248.

The slide 241 also carries a needle guide 252 (shown detached in Figure 14) which is slidable in a slot 253 in the plate 62. At its forward end this needle guide is laterally extended and rides in a depression 254 in the upper face of the throat plate 61 toward and from the throat 255. When the needle descends, a beveled edge 256' of this extended portion partially closes the throat, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 13, so as to prevent the needle from passing too far back therethrough where it would be liable to strike the looper. When the needle retracts, the guide also retracts, exposing the entire area of the throat to afford a large free opening for the passage of the needle and the threadcarried thereby.

As shown the machine starting and stopping mechanism includes a belt shipper 270 slidable parallel to the shaft 82 and arranged to shift the belt between tight and loose pulleys 260 and 261 carried thereon.

-The shipper is normally urged to position the belt on the loose pulley by a spring 279 reacting between a collar 277 fixed to a rod 275 to which the shipper is attached and a lug 278 extending inwardly from the machine frame, but it may be held in position to retain the belt on the tight pulley by a latch block 281 fixed to the rod 275 and having a latch face 282 with Which may engage the hook of a latch finger 283. Tripping of this latch either by hand or automatically, therefore, acts to stop the machine.

It is desirable that during the normal operation of the machine the operator may not raise the button clamp from the work so that the work and the button are always in complete control of the machine while the sewing is being effected. Provision has therefore been made to prevent the raising of the button clamp while the machine is running. For this purpose the rod 163, above mentioned, where it passes through the frame portion 2 is notched out, as shown in dotted lines at 310,;and through this notched portion passes a horizontally disposed. rod

311. As shown in Figure 4, this rod 311 terminates at 312, the notch in the rod 163 and the end of the rod 311 being so relatively 'placed'that when the rod 311 is'in its rearward position, butnot otherwise, the rod 163 may play freely up and down therepast, and that when the rod 163 is in its elevated position and the button clamp lowered, but not otherwise, the rod 311 may be moved freely axially. The rod 311 reciprocates with the belt shifter, and for this purpose the inner endvof, the rod 276 extending from the body portion of the shipper carries alink 315 whose forked end 316 engages a pin 317 fixed to the rod 311. By this means it is rendered impossible for the button clamp to be raised while the machine is in for the machine to be started before the button clamp has been depressed. v

I The belt shifter may be moved to machinc starting position by the operator, a treadle 320 being shown for this purpose in Figure 5. This treadle has a chain 321 fixed thereto,the upper end of which is connected to an arm 322 of a bell crank lever (see Figure 1) pivoted on a screw 323 which projects from the inner face of the machine base frame '1. The other arm 324 of the bell crank lever is engageable with a pin 325 extending from the latch collar 281. The finger 324 is normally held out of contact with the pin 325 by means of a spring 326 reacting between it and the inner face of the frame, base 1.

In order that both the treadles 165 and 320 may not be depressed substantially at the same time, which might cause jamming between the rods 163 and 311, these treadles, as shown in. Figure 15, may be interconnected by means of a cord 327 attached at opposite ends to the chains 164 and 321 and passing over a pulley 328 journaled in a bracket 329 depending from the bench or table 330 on which the machine is carried.

This cord 327 is so positioned that downward pressure on either treadle acts to raise the other treadle and is so short that neither 'treadle may be depressed to actuate the means for holding work and a button having a plurality of stitch-receiving holes in position to fasten the button to the work,

sewing instrumentalities including a needle for sewing the button to the work, a needle bar, means for reciprocating said needle bar to impart sewing strokes to said needle, and means for oscillating said bar about a horizontal pivot to cause the needle to pass in its sewing strokes alternately through each of a pair of .holes in the button.

2. In a machine of the class described, means for holding work and a button having a pluralityvof stitch-receiving holes in position to fasten the button to the work, sewing instrumentalities including a needle for sewing the button to the work, a needle bar, means for reciprocating said needle bar to impart sewing strokes to said needle, and means for oscillating said bar about a horizontal pivot to cause the needle to pass in its sewing strokes alternately through each of a pair of holes in the button, said pivot being remote from the button to cause such alternate sewing strokes to be substantially parallel to each other.

3. In a machine of the class described, means for holding work and a button having a plurality of stitch-receiving holes in position to fasten the button to the work,

sewing instrumentalities including a needle for sewing the button to the work, a needle bar, means for reciprocating said needle bar to impart sewing strokes to said needle, means for oscillating said bar about a horizontal pivot to cause the needle to pass'in its sewing strokes alternately through each of a pair of holes in the button, and means for adjusting the extent of such oscillation 'to correspond to the spacing of the holes in the button.

4. In a machine of the class described,

stitch-forming mechanism including a loop-- nism including a looper, a needle movabletoward and from said looper to present a loop of thread thereto and then to retract therefrom, and a movable loop-deflector finger, of a needle guide mounted to partake of certain movements of said deflector finger, to be so positioned as to prevent the needle from striln'ng the looper on its movement theretoward, and then to retract to provide a large free passage for the needle and thread as the needle retracts from said looper.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism including a looper, a needle movable toward and from said looper to present a loop of thread thereto and then to retract therefrom, and a loop deflector finger, of a slide to which said finger is pivoted, means to move said slide, means to move said finger about its pivot, and a needle guide car= ried by and movable with said slide into position to prevent said needle from striking said looper on its movement theretoward and then to retract to provide a large free passage for said needle and thread as the needle retracts from said looper.

7 In a machine of the class described, the combination with a throat plate and stitchforming mechanism including a looper, a

needle movable toward and from said looper and through the throat of said throat plate, and a loop deflector finger, of a slide for carrying said finger, and a needle guide carried by said slide and having an edge portion partly closing said throat at one side in position to prevent the needle from striking said looper as it moves theretoward through said throat and then retracting therefrom by movement of said slide to fully open said throat to provide a large free passage for the needle and thread as the needle retracts on said looper.

8. In a machine of the class described, ,the combination of a throat plate, and stitchforming mechanism including a needle movable througlnthe throat in said plate, and means acting to partially close said throat during a predetermined portion of the movement of said needle.

9. In a machine of the class described, means for holding a button having stitchreceiving holes in position to be sewed to work, sewing instrumentalitles including a needle, and means for actuating said needle to pass through each of a pair of holes in the button successively to position stitches therethrough, said means-acting to incline said needle away from a point midway of said pair of holes.

In testimony whereof I have'atfixed my 

